MBL are an SRA-authorised Professional Skills Course (PSC) provider. We have assisted thousands of delegates through every stage of the PSC.
If you want to know more about the PSC and the programme here at MBL, we have put together a useful guide.
What is the PSC?
The PSC is an important part of legal training. As noted on the SRA website, the course helps trainees develop professional skills before admission to the SRA and is designed to ‘make sure all trainees receive formal instruction in matters better studied once they have some exposure to practice’.
The PSC consists of three core modules, plus 24 hours of electives.
The Core Courses
The compulsory core courses are:
- Financial and Business Skills
- Advocacy and Communication Skills
- Client Care and Professional Standards
MBL’s PSC offering is delivered online in our virtual classrooms (with the exception of the Financial and Business Skills examination) and led by expert speakers David Potts, Alastair Hodge, and Trevor Hellawell.
Each of our PSC courses are held once a month – more information on course dates can be found here.
So, what does each module cover and what can you expect if you choose to complete your PSC with MBL?
Financial and Business Skills
The Financial and Business Skills module takes place over the course of three days and is followed by a 90-minute open book examination. It sets out to ensure you can:
- Understand and apply in context the rules and regulations surrounding the conduct of financial services work by solicitors
- Understand and recommend where appropriate the range of investment products which may suit a client’s needs and objectives
- Understand and apply in context the rules relating to financial promotions
- Understand the law and practice relating to the identification and reporting of suspected money laundering
- Appreciate the significance and practical effect of the SRA Code of Conduct
Presented by experienced trainer David Potts, the module is lecture-based but interactive and enables you to test your knowledge and understanding through discussion and sample questions. Full guidance on examination technique is also provided.
Advocacy and Communication Skills
The Advocacy and Communication Skills module involves three days of tuition, including an advocacy assessment. It is designed to solidify your ability to:
- Use appropriate language at all stages of an action
- Interpret the behaviour of other people involved in a hearing and respond appropriately
- Speak and question effectively so as to be ableto present all aspects of a case and, in that context, to control witnesses
- Prepare and present coherent submissions based on the appropriate facts, law, and evidence
Led by barrister Alastair Hodge, this module is very practical and based on learning by doing. It involves various exercises where you will put into practice what you have learned and discussed, and you will need to demonstrate knowledge of conduct and ethics throughout.
The module is assessed on an individual basis rather than through an examination, and you will be provided with feedback.
Client Care and Professional Standards
Taking place over two days, the Client Care and Professional Standards module ensures you understand and can apply the basic principles of professional conduct. In particular, it will make sure you can:
- Understand and apply in context the relevant provisions of the Code of Conduct, especially Client Relations and Client Care
- Appreciate the commercial context in which solicitors operate and the role played by conduct rules in that context
- Appreciate and apply in context the relevant professional obligations and duties owed by solicitors to their clients, the Court, third parties, and other solicitors
Delivered by expert Trevor Hellawell, this module consists of various sessions focusing on different aspects of professional duties. It includes case studies from practice, which will be discussed in small groups.
Our PSC Core Course Tutors
David Potts
A UK-qualified Chartered Accountant, David leads our Financial and Business Skills course. Previously with BDO, David contributed to and helped deliver the BDO national training programmes. As a tutor on accountancy professional examination courses including ACA, ACCA, CIMA, and AAT, he progressed to be in charge of all post-qualification training for accountants and solicitors (including the SRA Professional Skills Course) and also had responsibility for all the College of Law's Professional Development
financial training.
Alastair Hodge
Alastair presents our Advocacy and Communication Skills course. A barrister at 5 Essex Court, Alastair is a specialist in all aspects of employment law. He is also a Senior Advocacy Trainer for the HonourableSociety of the Inner Temple and has spent many years teaching students, pupils, junior practitioners, and KCs the art of advocacy, both nationally and internationally. He is also an experienced after dinner speaker, comedian, and mimic and is renowned for his entertaining presentational style.
Trevor Hellawell
Trevor delivers our Client Care and Professional Standards course. Trevor is a solicitor and legal training and management consultant. Until going freelance in 1999, he was a full-time lecturer with the University of Law, ending his career as a Principal Lecturer at the York Branch. Until recently, he was Head of Law Programmes at BPP. Throughout his career, which has covered time in private practice with Eversheds, he has lectured extensively on professional conduct, Accounts Rules, management skills, and financial services matters, as well as mainstream academic law subjects.
Electives
In addition to the core modules, the PSC also requires 24 hours of electives. At MBL we offer over 1,000 electives in a wide variety of practice areas, from employment and family law to property and private client law.
A maximum of 12 hours of your elective courses can be completed through pre-recorded webinars. The remaining hours must be completed through Learn Live courses in our virtual classrooms or face-to-face courses.
If you would prefer to complete all or the majority of your electives via live or face-to-face courses, this is also accepted.
Feedback
We have received outstanding feedback from trainees who have chosen MBL for the Professional Skills Course:
“All of the tutors have been excellent and all showed a genuine interest in what they were discussing. The MBL team have also been really helpful, providing quick responses whenever I had an issue, so thanks again!”
“I learned so much more than I ever thought I was going to and I cannot believe how much my confidence grew.”
“I would first and foremost like to offer my thanks to the administrator, you were absolutely brilliant throughout my PSC providing any information promptly when required and just all round helpful. As for the tutors, they were all stand-out and I thoroughly enjoyed their courses.”
“I can’t honestly thank you enough for all of your support. You have been absolutely amazing and patient too! All of the lecturers were fantastic and helpful. I couldn’t fault them. Alastair made such a daunting module very enjoyable and he puts you entirely at ease. David Potts was also amazing. He was willing to help at any point and explained the whole module thoroughly. I just would like to thank you all.”
“Your assistance and cooperation throughout my training certainly made the process a lot easier and I am grateful for your help. I would certainly recommend MBL to any person who is undergoing their training contract or is interested in expanding their knowledge in certain areas of law.”
Contact Us to Find Out More About the PSC at MBL
If you’re interested in finding out more or completing the Professional Skills Course with MBL, please contact Lucy Blair on 0161 793 0984 or e-mail psc@mblseminars.com.